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Wiki
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These are some general links to sites that I have found to be useful to me.
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Thu, 18 Dec 2008
Ponzi
Bernard Madoff ran a multi-billion dollar ponzi scheme (allegedly, I guess you have to say that), ripping off investors right-and-left over many years. A ponzi scheme is one in which investors are paid off by the investments of others rather than through any profits made by the venture.
How did he get away with it? How does any crook get away with it? GREED. People are willing to invest with someone making profits which are out of line with anything else going on because they are greedy. They suspend their belief in the hope that they, too, can gain these outrageous profits. They suspend their disbelief and go with the story. And not just ordinary folks, but, professionals who should know better!
Greed has been a topic I have discussed before. It makes people do very silly things. "I earn $20,000/year, I can afford a $750,000 home.", "No one can understand how, but he is claiming 25% profits while everyone else is earning 2%, I'll go with him." I'm giving this story one shoe, not because I don't feel badly that some very worthy enterprises and people lost a lot of money, but because they were greedy and did it to themselves.
posted 08:33 [/Thoughts] permanent link
Shoes . . .
. . . throwing them, that is.
The other day, I was made aware of the custom of throwing shoes as a sign of displeasure. It happened to be U.S. President Bush who was the reciepient of this sign of displeasure for his invasion of Iraq. (Personally, I'd throw the entire store at him for that one, but, that's a different blog).
It got me to thinking that we need a displeasure rating, like the stars used to signify accomplishment or pleasure. Thus, the shoe rating . . .
I'll be using the 5-shoe rating system to show my displeasure with something on which I am commenting:
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Mildly displeasing |
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Some what irritating |
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Pretty displeasing |
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Extremely irritating |
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Boarderline postal |
We'll see how things work. For example, the war in Iraq gets 4 shoes () just because I am really a pacifist!
posted 08:31 [/WebSite] permanent link
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